An Open Letter in Support of WE, from PFT Retirees

The below letter was written by the Caucus of Working Educators' Retiree Organizing Committee in support of WE in the upcoming PFT Election. Want to add you name? Email us at contact@workingeducators.org.

Dear Fellow PFT Retirees,

No doubt our experiences teaching in the Philadelphia School District have varied greatly. Our role and involvement in our union were likely just as varied. Yet we can all agree that the protections given us by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers were essential and allowed us to have a career in teaching, leading to a comfortable retirement.

The attacks on our schools by the forces of austerity are placing that security in jeopardy for our colleagues in the classroom now. The PFT is half the size it once was. Staff and student rights, support services, protections and supplies are all disappearing- or already gone.

Who would have thought that historic institutions like Olney, Germantown, William Penn and Bok High Schools would be closed? So many jobs have been lost, we cannot sit by and let the critical work of educating our children become a "little while beginner job" in charters, instead of the lifetime vocation for certified professionals that we chose for ourselves.

How did this happen? The PFT has forgotten that our power comes from our own organized members and the communities we serve, rather than relying on politicians for political favors. We cannot help but notice that a union of 11,000 has not mobilized more than a few hundreds of members into action. Our union needs to be energized. The PFT needs to have a real discussion. There needs to be a real election campaign. We need a new leadership.

Chicago is not the only place fresh winds are blowing in urban public education. Over the last few years some of us in retirement have met the leading professionals in the Working Educators Caucus. We are impressed by them. We might even be a little envious that more energetic union folks like this weren't around in our day, and would like to get behind them. They know the PFT can and will lead the fight for public education. They deserve our support in this critical election.

The Caucus of Working Educators needs the support of retired educators in many ways, from donating funds to speaking to our former colleagues who are still in the field: